Lithium ion batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, and other secondary cells have recently become more and more important as on-board power sources in vehicles or as power sources for personal computers and portable terminals. Light-weight lithium ion cells that provide high energy density are particularly promising as batteries suitable for use as on-board high-output power sources. One typical lithium ion cell structure is provided with electrodes having a structure in which a material capable of reversibly absorbing and releasing lithium ions (electrode active material) is formed on a conductive member (electrode collector). Examples of positive electrode active material used for the positive electrode include oxides that contain lithium and one or more transition metal elements as structural metal elements. Examples of electrode collectors used in positive electrodes (referred to below as “positive electrode collectors”) include members in the form of a sheet or foil based on aluminum or an aluminum alloy. Such positive electrode collectors made of aluminum or aluminum alloy tend to oxidize and have a constant oxide film as a result of oxidation when exposed to the atmosphere. When an oxide film exists on the surface of a collector, the oxide film acts as an insulation film, resulting in the risk of greater electrical resistance between the positive electrode collector and the positive electrode active material.
It is therefore necessary to prevent the surface of collectors which have such properties from becoming corroded by electrolytic solution or the like. An example of a technique for preventing such corrosion (deterioration) is to form an anti-corrosion (corrosion resistant) covering layer (carbon layer) on the surface of the collector as described in Patent Citation 1. Other conventional techniques on the formation of carbon film include, for example, Patent Citations 2 through 4.    Patent Citation 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H11-250900    Patent Citation 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-352796    Patent Citation 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-11991    Patent Citation 4: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H10-106585